Militants have bombed five Christian churches in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, where Muslims have been greeting the holy month of Ramadan begins.

The pre-dawn blasts hit churches across the capital over the course of an hour but there are no reports of casualties.

A mortar round also exploded at one of Baghdad's hospitals, killing one.

Explosions have been heard in the rebel-held western city of Falluja where US planes and ground forces have been in action in recent days.

The Americans have, along with Iraqi forces, been trying to bring the restive Sunni city back under their control.

A delegation from the city offered to resume peace talks with the government earlier on Saturday if attacks were halted and the chief negotiator released. The current offensive began after they suspended talks earlier this week.

the US military reports that three of its soldiers and an interpreter were killed on Friday when their patrol was hit in a suicide car bomb attack in the town of Qaim near the Syrian border; a fourth soldier was wounded

the US army confirms it is investigating allegations that members of a reserve US army unit in Iraq refused to undertake a convoy mission

UK troops could be sent to back up the US in some of Iraq's most volatile areas